This course considers political globalization and its impact on the state and state sovereignty. To begin with, then, ‘globalization’ is, itself, a complex, contested, fluid and flexible concept; it means different things to different people, in different contexts. What it means from a political perspective, to whom and why will be our focal points of inquiry. In particular, we will look closely at the implications of globalization for the state. This is especially salient given the traditional notion of the state as a sovereign authority in an age in which there is a proliferation of international and regional organizations, and of multi-national corporations – many of which have larger sales revenues than the entire economies of most countries in the context of a world economy that appears to be beyond the control of many states. First, we will consider various ideas of globalization, and of political globalization, and their genesis. We then turn to the literature concerned with the seeming transformation of the sovereign state, and of the social relations brought about by globalization. We will also explore ethnographic and critical approaches to the study of political globalization. Throughout the semester, we will be considering how political globalization “works” as a discourse, how it is experienced, what its attributes might be, what shifts in political- economic power relations the term denotes, and how we might develop a critical approach to its study.

Organizations are part of the larger cultures in which they exist. This course examines multicultural communication on two levels: globally, using insights from anthropology, sociology, media studies, social psychology, linguistics; and nationally, exploring the values and behaviors of diverse cultural groups in the United States.

This course examines the nature and development of gender roles and the lifelong impact of gender on women’s experiences. The course introduces students to differing theoretical perspectives, from Freud to feminist psychologists and contemporary writers, and covers recent empirical research on the development of gender roles and gender differences. Topics include the influences of biology, family, culture, and society in shaping gender identity and expectations; and the differential treatment of males and females in school, the workplace, and the media. This is an in-depth review of topics of special concern to women, such as sexuality, friendships and family, intimate relationships, the experience of parenting, and exploitation and violence

This course is designed to explore alternative approaches to management in the 21st century. Its primary objective is to educate and engage students on the concept and practice of sustainable management—an emerging discipline that addresses management functions in light of the increasing evidence and perceived threats to the planet. With unprecedented developments in global demographics, climate change, and questionable resource use patterns, there is an urgent need to reconsider some foundational principles and traditional management practices within businesses and other organizations.

This course examines the history and cultural practices of various societies traditionally recognized by the West as belonging to ‘Asia’. Our discussion will focus on the modern period, spanning from the turn of the 19th century to the present day. We will delve into several well-known Asian countries, as identified in research, emphasizing the southeastern and eastern regions of the continent. Conceptually, we will critically re-examine the notion of ‘Asia’ in relation to Western colonialism and transmigration, placing particular emphasis on the ‘Asian American’ experience in the U.S. context and the emerging pan-Asian identities. Using an anthropological framework, the course will thematically explore the broad concept of ‘Asia’ through key cultural and societal aspects, including religion and customs, language, education, economy, as well as arts and entertainment.